


“Birthday” Is Not a Competitive Sport, Steven

by Tkeyla



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 05:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2609459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tkeyla/pseuds/Tkeyla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a belated birthday story for my Queen, kaige68. Love you BB!!</p>
<p>When Alex and Scott were on The View, they were talking about how they share the same birthday. The women asked who gave the best gifts, Scott saying it was definitely Alex. My brain turned this into Steve giving the best gifts because he has to win at everything – in a good way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	“Birthday” Is Not a Competitive Sport, Steven

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaige68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaige68/gifts).



The Hawaii Five-0 task force had been successfully rounding up the worst of the criminals for almost six months when they discovered quite by accident that Steve and Danny shared the same birthday – the hour, the day, the year.  
  
“What were the chances?” Danny said as the four of them looked at both their files, the same date displayed on the screens surrounding them.  
  
“With the two of you?” Kono said, shaking  her head. “Nothing surprises us any longer.”  
  
“Besides,” Chin said. “We’ve always said you’re two peas of a pod.”  
  
“Two peas?” Danny huffed. “Two peas? How is that even possible? He’s an Army-marching-control-freak-with a death wish.”  
  
“Navy,” Steve corrected, otherwise ignoring Danny’s outburst. He’d long since learned that not responding directly was the best way to derail Danny’s latest tirade.   
  
“That’s not even remotely the point,” Danny said. “We are nothing alike. _Nothing_.”  
  
“Brah,” Kono said with amused tolerance. She, like Chin, knew the truth. They had discussed when they thought Steve and Danny would come to the same realization that the rest of Oahu already had. They always made sure they were carefully out of earshot before talking about the truth everyone could see but the two involved.  
  
“ _Brah_ what?” Danny asked, looking genuinely confused. He and Steve were polar opposites. How could anyone believe otherwise?  
  
“We have plenty in common,” Steve told him soothingly.  
  
“No, no we do not,” Danny responded.  
  
“Denial is not just a river in Egypt,” Chin told him, only the smallest of smirks playing around his lips.  
  
“Denial,” Danny repeated, considering what they had all said. “What, exactly, do I have in common with this gung-ho, shoot first ask questions never, way too tall SEAL?”  
  
Chin and Kono looked over at Steve to respond. He was studying Danny with a familiar, amused, even affectionate expression.   
  
“He’ll figure it out,” Steve assured them, ignoring Danny’s sputtering indignation. “Come on, Danno. Let’s go catch some bad guys.”  
  
“Fine,” Danny said, following Steve toward the doors. “Fine. But this discussion is _not_ over. Why didn’t you inform me of this seemingly impossible coincidence?”  
  
Chin and Kono watched until the two men had disappeared down the corridor. “You think Danny really doesn’t realize?” Kono asked Chin.  
  
“I think he knows. He doesn’t want to admit it,” Chin decided. “Now. One cake or two?”  
  
Kono laughed in response, pulling up the order form from their favorite bakery. Whether or not it was owned by one of their cousins was not even remotely the point.  
  
~0~  
  
After much discussion between Chin and Kono as to whether or not the shared celebration should be a surprise, it was eventually decided that surprising Steve was never in anyone’s best interest. A startled Steve could be a dangerous Steve. And Danny had admitted that he wasn’t a huge fan of surprises either.   
  
Kono had given into Chin’s persuasion and agreed to make sure Danny and Steve would be at the restaurant at the appointed time. She met some token protest but Kono ignored it from both of them.  
  
“All right,” Danny said, knowing that agreement would spare him a lot of trouble, and possibly pain. “I’ll be there at 7:00.”  
  
“Good. Don’t wear a tie,” she said brightly before dancing out of his office. She went directly to Steve’s, wearing her most persuasive smile.  
  
“What do you want?” Steve asked, knowing she was up to something. She never looked this happy and innocent unless she was plotting to take over more aspects of his life.  
  
“Tomorrow night, 7:00 o’clock. We’re celebrating both your birthdays,” she announced.  
  
“Kono,” Steve said, staring up at her.  
  
“Your thousand yard death stare does not work on me. Surely you know that by now,” she retorted happily.  
  
“It’s worth a try,” he muttered, suddenly fascinated by a report awaiting his signature.  
  
“Danny already said yes. You can’t say no.”  
  
“I can try,” Steve said, knowing that he would never refuse to attend. But it wouldn’t do for Kono to think she had won so easily.  
  
“Wear your aqua polo. You know the one,” Kono said with a wink as she left his office, her mission complete.  
  
“I have no idea what shirt you mean,” he called after her. Her lingering laughter was her only response.  
  
~0~  
  
Danny arrived at the restaurant a few minutes after 7:00. When he tried to apologize, he was waved off with an assurance that Island Time was not just for natives.  
  
“All right,” he agreed, finding three brightly decorated packages at the place they had saved for him. He took out the festively wrapped box and added it to the two already at Steve’s place.   
  
“Everything okay?” Steve asked, studying Danny as he took a drink from his beer.  
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Danny said. “I got distracted at the last minute.”  
  
That seemed to satisfy Steve and he relaxed in his chair. Loose limbed, easy-going Steve was a relatively new version, one Danny very much appreciated. He knew he’d been caught staring when Kono said his name for the second? third? time.  
  
“Yeah?” he finally said when he’d turned his focus in her direction.  
  
“We ordered wings and pizza. Do you want a salad?” she asked.  
  
“Nah,” Danny said. “That sounds perfect.”  
  
“Okay,” Kono confirmed, winking at Chin.   
  
The food and the companionship was a perfect backdrop for their combined celebration, laughter plentiful. More than once, Chin and Kono glanced over to see Steve and Danny involved in their own private conversation, one they did not dare interrupt. They speculated that what was _not_ being said was almost as important as what was.  
  
“Okay,” Kono said after a quiet word with their server. “Present and cake time.”  
  
“Cake?” Steve said. “There’s no cake.”  
  
“Not yet,” Chin said with a wink. “It’s on its way.”  
  
“Oh,” Steve said, looking equally pleased and surprised.  
  
“Will you eat it if it’s not kale and whole wheat flour?” Danny teased, leaning closer to Steve.  
  
“It’s not, is it?” Steve asked Kono, looking disappointed at the prospects.  
  
“Of course not,” she assured him. “Unhealthy cake with even unhealthier butter cream icing.”  
  
“Perfect,” Steve said with excessive nods.   
  
“When was the last time you had a birthday cake?” Danny asked, studying him closely.  
  
Steve shrugged, not wishing to answer. Danny regretted his question but the moment of melancholy was dispelled by the arrival of the cake in the shape of the headquarters, complete with a tiny King Kamehameha standing guard over it. Chin served the birthday boys first, Steve immediately digging in.  
  
“You have the manners of a warthog,” Danny said, leaning closer to swipe some icing off Steve’s chin.  
  
“Stop. I’m not Gracie,” Steve protested, trying to evade Danny’s napkin.  
  
“She knows to wait until everyone is served. And she would wipe the icing from her own face,” Danny said, getting the last of the stare icing rounded up.  
  
Steve just shrugged, looking far too innocent and inexplicably young as he continued to enjoy his sweet, messy treat. Danny enjoyed his cake but not as much as he enjoyed watching Steve.  
  
“This is really good,” Steve said, his mouth stuffed full with the last bite.   
  
“There’s plenty more,” Chin assured him. “You want another piece?”  
  
“A small one,” Steve decided, passing his plate back over.  
  
“You are an animal,” Danny said in amused exasperation.  
  
“So you keep saying,” Steve said, shrugging and eating from his second piece.  
  
“Not that it helps,” Danny pointed out, finishing his slice of cake.  
  
“You want another piece?” Kono asked him.  
  
“Not right now,” Danny decided. “It is delicious.”  
  
“They make wedding cakes too,” Kono told him with a giggle.  
  
“Wedding cakes? Who’s getting married?” Danny asked in genuine confusion.  
  
“Never mind,” Kono said, patting his hand. “You’ll get there eventually.”  
  
“Where?” Steve asked. “Where are you going, Danno?”  
  
“I’m not going anywhere,” Danny assured him, wrapping his hand around Steve’s forearm. “Kono is making no sense.”  
  
“She normally does,” Steve assured her with a wink.  
  
“Thank you, bossman,” Kono said with a bright smile.  
  
“What do you say you open presents?” Chin suggested.  
  
“Sounds good,” Danny agreed, reaching over for the one on top of his pile. It was from Kono so Steve picked his gift from Kono as well.  
  
Steve shook his to see if he could figure out what was in it before he ripped into the wrapping paper. He discovered the package contained a video game called “Oh-Dark-Thirty” and claimed to be as close to actual battle as possible without live ammunition. “Excellent,” he said in approval. “Thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Boss #1,” Kono said, happy that she’d made Steve happy.  
  
Danny’s gift was a football simulation, one that allowed him to be either the Jets or the Giants. He was as delighted with his gift as Steve had been.  
  
“Except you don’t have a system,” Steve pointed out.  
  
“No but you do,” Danny said. “And both games are for _two_ players. Works out perfectly if you ask me.”  
  
“What makes you think I want to play with you?” Steve tried. His question was met with laughter from Kono and Chin as well as a derisive snort from Danny.  
  
Danny reached for the gift from Chin, delighted to find it was for a glass-bottom boat excursion around the islands. Grace had been asking to go on it and Danny had been promising. Now he could keep his promise, thanks to Chin. “Grace will be thrilled beyond words,” Danny told Chin unnecessarily.  
  
“I feel a little like it should have been Grace’s gift,” Chin said in some hesitancy.  
  
“No, no. It’s perfect,” Danny assured him. “Nothing makes me happier than making my little girl happy.”  
  
“True that,” Kono agreed, fist bumping Danny for no particular reason.  
  
“Awesome,” Steve said when he had opened his gift. It was for a pair of tickets to the upcoming football game when the University of Hawaii would be hosting Navy. “These are great.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” Chin said, pleased that his gift to Steve was also a big hit.  
  
“You want to come with?” Steve asked Danny, showing him the date.  
  
“Don’t you want to take Chin?” Danny asked, glancing over at Chin who was grinning at them both. “He gave you the tickets.”  
  
“No, Danny,” Chin said with a shake of his head. “You should go with him.”  
  
“If you’re sure,” Danny said, not wanting to take advantage of their friendship.  
  
“Absolutely. And there are three tickets for the boat tour,” Chin pointed out warmly.  
  
“Three tickets,” Danny said, elbowing Steve. “You in?”  
  
“Of course. Spend the entire day with Grace-face? How could I not be?”  
  
“Open the last one now,” Kono said, rising up in her chair to sneak a peek at the two gifts. The one Danny had given Steve was larger than the one he had received and curiosity was getting the better of her as to what they both contained.  
  
“Right,” Danny said, shaking himself out of the space he and Steve had been sharing. He studied the wrapping paper, laughing when he saw it was adorned with seals. They were swimming, playing with beach balls, catching fish. “Very appropriate,” Danny said as he carefully removed the festive paper. Inside was a box about the size of a checkbook. As curious as Kono as to the contents, Danny lifted off the lid to discover that it contained two plane tickets. They were round trip from Honolulu to Newark in the names of Danny and Grace Williams, the departure date the Saturday before Thanksgiving. “You are kidding me,” Danny said in complete surprise.  
  
“You should go home,” Steve said warmly with only the slightest twinge of regret. “Thanksgiving is for family and I know you miss yours.”  
  
“It is. I do,” Danny said, still staring at the tickets. “But this is too much.”  
  
“Pfft,” Steve said, waving it away. “They are non-refundable.”  
  
“Maybe Thanksgiving is for _ohana_ ,” Kono suggested softly.  
  
Danny looked from the tickets to Kono and Chin. He wanted to ignore the guilt he felt, created by his excitement at the prospects of being with his family for Thanksgiving. Because Kono was right. Maybe Thanksgiving should be about _ohana_ , his adopted family who had welcomed him and saved him in more ways than he could count.  
  
“You’ll be here for Christmas,” Steve pointed out. “And it’s only a week. The Governor already said we could close the office. We can Skype Thanksgiving day.”  
  
“Yeah,” Danny said in agreement. “We’ll do that, compare what we ate. Maybe it will even be snowing and I can show you.”  
  
That seemed to help dispel some of the melancholy that had descended, Kono pestering Steve to open his gift from Danny. Danny would have preferred he not open it right then, his gift paling in comparison to the plane tickets.  
  
Steve opened his gift, staring down at it. It was a picture of him, Danny, and Grace on his beach. Chin had taken it during one of their team dinners. Grace was in her pink swimsuit, the pink on her cheeks as bright. Steve was looking at her and Danny like all of his prayers had been answered and he’d found what he hadn’t realized he’d been missing.  
  
As soon as Chin had shown it to Danny he knew he had to have it printed and framed for Steve.   
  
“This is beautiful,” Steve said in near reverence, looking up at Danny with suspiciously damp eyes.   
  
“Thank you,” Danny said, honoring his emotions. “Grace wrote you a note on back.”  
  
Steve turned the picture over, finding a piece of paper tucked in the frame. He opened it to find a note in Grace’s somewhat uneven handwriting. “Happy birthday Ucnle Steve. Grace luvs you.”  
  
“Thank you,” Steve said softly, his heart in his eyes when he looked up at Danny. “This is perfect.”  
  
“She wants to know if we can come over tomorrow so she can sing to you in person,” Danny said, reluctant to break the mood.  
  
“Of course. I’ll make you lunch,” Steve said, studying the picture once more.   
  
“You may have to suffer through another cake,” Kono warned.  
  
“I’ll survive,” Steve assured her with a bright smile. “You two coming?”  
  
“Of course,” Chin agreed. “We’ll bring lunch. You shouldn’t have to cook your own birthday lunch.”  
  
“All right,” Steve laughed. “It’s a date.”  
  
~o0o~  
  
The next year, Chin and Kono claimed they had already started a tradition and they had to go out to eat to celebrate their birthdays. Steve and Danny knew they could have their _real_ celebration after they got home from the team dinner, and with only a little grumbling, agreed to their plans.  
  
Steve had carefully kept secret the gifts he had gotten for Danny, despite Danny’s persistence in trying to discover the truth. “Why do you want to spoil the surprise, Danno?” Steve asked, curling his arm a little tighter around Danny where he lay sprawled mostly on top of Steve.  
  
“I don’t,” Danny claimed, lifting up on one elbow to look at Steve. “But…”  
  
“But what?” Steve asked with a kiss.  
  
Danny shrugged, returning to his warm if somewhat hard pillow, a pillow that rumbled under his ear when Steve laughed at him.  
  
“As you so often point out, birthdays are not a competitive sport, Danno.”  
  
“You act like they are,” Danny said, trying hard not to pout. “And Christmas, Father’s Day, anniversaries, I-got-you-a-present-for-no-good-reason days.”  
  
“You know why,” Steve said. “There were a lot of years when I didn’t have anyone to buy presents for. You said it yourself – I’m making up for lost time.”  
  
“Yeah,” Danny said with a contented sight. “Carry on.”  
  
Steve laughed at that, reaching down to kiss Danny’s head, happy beyond measure that he now had permission to spoil both Danny and Grace.  
  
~0~  
  
Steve and Danny arrived together at the restaurant, Chin and Kono already waiting for them.  
  
“Finally,” Kono crowed with a grin up at them.  
  
“Get distracted?” Chin asked, all placid amusement.  
  
“Sure,” Danny said, sitting at his customary place, two presents already waiting for him and for Steve.   
  
“You know,” Steve said, shrugging at the wink Kono gave him.  
  
“We do,” Kono assured them both. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”  
  
“Thank you,” Danny said sincerely.  
  
“We wouldn’t either,” Steve said, smiling over at Danny.  
  
“You order?” Danny asked when he thought he could trust his voice. Being this close to a freshly scrubbed Steve who was radiating warmth and contentment did funny things to his brain and his vocal chords.  
  
“Of course,” Kono assured them. “Pizza and wings, as always.”  
  
“Good,” Danny said, accepting a frosty beer from the waitress.  
  
“And a cake?” Steve asked hopefully.  
  
“Of course,” Kono repeated, laughing at Steve. “Who would deprive you of your favorite birthday treat?”  
  
“No one in their right minds,” Danny said, joining Kono in her laughter.  
  
“Exactly,” Steve agreed.  
  
They shared the food, the beer, the laughter, and the love so freely given and accepted by all at the table. When the food was mostly gone, Steve reached into the bag he’d carried in with him, putting two festively wrapped gifts by Danny’s place. Danny took his out of the tote, handing it to Steve.  
  
“Presents,” Kono cheered in approval.   
  
“The cake will be here shortly,” Chin assured them before Steve had to ask.  
  
“Presents,” Steve said, reaching for the first one in his pile, making sure it was from Kono. Danny picked up his from Kono as well, unwrapping it as Steve worked on his gift.  
  
They laughed when the gifts were revealed to be matching boardies and slippahs. They were fairly plain blue, perfect for surfing or swimming. Across the butt was stenciled “SuperSEAL” on Steve’s, “Danno” on his.  
  
“Is this in case we forget?” Danny teased, admiring the trunks that looked like the perfect sizes.  
  
“Something like that,” Kono said. “They have quick release drawstrings.”  
  
“That is something we do _not_ need to discuss,” Steve said.  
  
“Not like it’s a secret,” Kono said with a giggle.  
  
“You have an unhealthy interest in our personal lives,” Danny scolded her in good humor.  
  
“Nope. Only your sex lives,” Kono corrected.  
  
“Kalakaua,” Danny said. “How many beers have you had?”  
  
“Fewer than you’d think,” Chin told him, shaking his head at Kono. “She is nosey.”  
  
“You are curious too,” Kono retorted.  
  
“I most definitely am not,” Chin told her.  
  
Kono shrugged, sipping her beer. “Open the ones from Chin.”  
  
“Are they embarrassing?” Steve asked as he reached for it.  
  
“ _Brah_ ,” Chin said.  
  
“All right,” Steve laughed, opening his package as Danny did the same. Inside Steve’s box was a beautiful fountain pen of carved wood. “This is amazing,” Steve said, admiring the handwork of the pen.  
  
“Thank you,” Chin said. “One of our cousins made it.”  
  
“She makes the most extraordinary artwork,” Kono added, accepting the pen to admire it up close.  
  
“She made this too?” Danny asked, smiling broadly at the perfect replica of Yankee Stadium which had been carved out of wood.  
  
“She did,” Chin agreed. “I told her not to paint it but she still can if you want.”  
  
“No,” Danny said with a shake of his head. “It’s perfect just like it is.”  
  
“We’ll have to find the perfect place to display this,” Steve said, leaning closer to Danny to admire the miniature stadium.  
  
“Maybe my office,” Danny suggested. “We spend more time there than at home.”  
  
“True that,” Kono agreed. “Open the last ones.”  
  
“You are more excited than we are,” Danny teased, picking up the two packages from Steve.  
  
“You go ahead,” Steve said, nodding at the boxes.  
  
“Okay,” Danny said, opening the smaller of the two first. They were both wrapped in seal paper, one with a green background, one with a yellow. When Danny opened the first gift, he wasn’t surprised to find plane tickets, round trip to Newark for the week of Thanksgiving. What did surprise him was that there were three of them. “You’re coming with?” Danny asked with a sparkle.  
  
“Grace gave me no choice,” Steve said.   
  
“It’s about time you met the in-laws,” Kono said with a raucous laugh.  
  
“True that,” Chin agreed, ignoring Steve’s death glare in his direction. It was brief at any rate.  
  
“This is excellent,” Danny said, kissing Steve in proof. “Thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” Steve said, smiling at Danny’s pleasure.  
  
“You shouldn’t have gotten me two presents,” Danny said, picking up the second gift.  
  
Steve shrugged, trying to look innocent and failing miserably. “This one is sort of for us both.”  
  
“Like the plane tickets,” Kono pointed out.  
  
“Like that,” Steve said with a nod.   
  
“How…where… are these even legal?” Danny finally asked, staring down at the box of decadent and incredible Cuban cigars.   
  
“Not exactly,” Steve said, rubbing the back of his neck that he could feel was redder than it should be. “I have a friend…who…you know…”  
  
“I’m sure you do. And I do know,” Danny laughed, giving one of the cigars to Chin and one to Steve. “You in, rookie?”  
  
“Thank you, no,” she said. “You men do your compensation thing.”  
  
“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, cuz,” Chin said as he leaned closer so Danny could light his.  
  
“Uh huh,” Kono said with a shake of her head. “I don’t see what you get from them.”  
  
“It’s a guy thing,” Chin decided, having no other explanation to provide.  
  
“Totally,” Danny agreed, blowing a perfect smoke ring over her head. “A halo for an angel.”  
  
She snorted at that, turning her attention to Steve. “Open yours.”  
  
“Right,” Steve said, carefully resting his cigar in the magically appearing ashtray. The restaurant didn’t officially allow smoking but as along as the patrons did it discretely and remained close to the beach, they weren’t going to stop them. Especially when the patrons were Five-0.   
  
Steve unwrapped his gift, a photo album revealed when the cheerful paper was peeled away. The insert in the front cover had a picture of Steve, Danny, and Grace from her last birthday. They were smiling at each other like they were the only gifts any of them needed. “This is awesome,” Steve said, slowly turning the pages. The album chronicled the time Danny and Grace had lived in Hawaii. The first third of the photos were without Steve. In the second two-thirds he was on practically every page. Each picture was labeled in Grace’s handwriting with the date and place that the photo had been taken.   
  
“Is it full?” Kono asked, standing to move behind Steve’s chair to see the pictures more clearly.  
  
“No,” Danny said. “Grace wanted one that was really big so we could add to it.”  
  
“She always was the smart Williams,” Steve teased, leaning closer to give Danny an appreciative kiss. “This is perfect. Thank you.”  
  
“It was Grace’s idea,” Danny said, his heart in his eyes at he looked at Steve. Steve could have been the only person remaining in the universe and Danny would not have noticed.  
  
“The smart one,” Steve said with a nod.  
  
“I’ll say,” Danny said, watching as Chin returned with the cake. Because it had become the tradition (at least according to Kono) the cake was of the palace with King Kamehameha just like the year before.  
  
Steve had two pieces but pretended he hadn’t. Danny promised no one was counting and if he wanted a third piece, that was fine too. He’d swim them off in his new trunks.  
  
“Boardies,” Steve said around a mouthful of butter cream icing.  
  
“Whatever,” Danny said, cleaning up the icing that inevitably fell on Steve’s shirt.  
  
~o0o~  
  
“We’ll be at the hospital shortly,” Chin assured Steve.  
  
“All right. He was really hoping to be home,” Steve said, glancing over at his shoulder to where Danny was sleeping, finally.  
  
“I know, brah. He’s going to be okay. That’s the important thing to remember.”  
  
“Yeah,” Steve agreed, returning to Danny’s room when he’d hung up with Chin. He did everything he could to prevent the guilt from swelling up again. If he hadn’t removed the rebar from Danny’s side, they would have never gotten out of the collapsed structure. The up-side was being rescued. The down-side was the infection Danny had developed. The doctor said Steve had done the right thing but Steve still thought if he’d left the rebar in place, Danny wouldn’t be fighting the nasty infection that had knocked him unconscious until earlier this afternoon.  
  
“This isn’t your fault,” Danny’s parched voice said, cutting through Steve’s self-recriminations.  
  
“I thought you were asleep,” Steve said, scooting even closer to the bed.  
  
“I was. I needed to make sure my husband was still watching out for me. Maybe you’ve met him? Takes on the weight of the world? Feels guilty when there’s no need?”  
  
“Huh,” Steve said with a smile. “Sounds like someone I’d hate.”  
  
“Nah,” Danny said. “He’s not so bad for a control freak.”  
  
“Chin and Kono will be here soon,” Steve said. “The doctor said you can have cake tomorrow.”  
  
“Tomorrow is good,” Danny said. “My gift for you’s at home.”  
  
“Your recovery is the only gift I need, babe,” Steve said, trying again to hide the guilt he felt over Danny being in the hospital.   
  
“Did you get us plane tickets?” Danny asked with a strained smile. If Kono and Chin didn’t get there soon, he was going to fall aback sleep and miss the birthday celebration.  
  
“I didn’t get any for _us_ ,” Steve said. “I got them for your mom and dad to come to us.”  
  
“That’s…yeah,” Danny said with a nod. “Maybe that will help make up for us eloping.”  
  
“Is it really eloping when it happens in your backyard?” Steve asked.   
  
“There is that,” Danny said. “And Gracie was there. Kono and Chin. Kamekona and Max. Maybe it wasn’t eloping.”  
  
Steve shrugged, smiling over at Chin and Kono when they came in, followed by Kamekona, Max, Adam, and assorted other friends. All of them seemed to carrying balloons and flowers and other festive decorations. Everyone was glad to see Danny doing better, the celebration double on his behalf.  
  
Half an hour after they arrived, Danny fell asleep. Chin tried to get everyone to leave but Steve assured them that Danny would sleep through their visit. In fact, he might sleep better for having them there. Nothing sped up healing like the love of family and friends.  
  
“Hey,” Danny said some indeterminate time later. Steve was laying in the bed next to him, no doubt ignoring the nurses who said he should go home. Steve knew better and stayed right where he was, snug up against Danny’s uninjured side.  
  
“Hey,” Steve whispered back, love in his eyes when he studied Danny. “How you feeling?”  
  
“Like a building fell on me,” Danny said, Steve nodding in understanding. “You?”  
  
“I’m good,” Steve assured him. “You thirsty?”  
  
“A little,” Danny said, waiting as Steve reached over for the cup of water. “You should go home.”  
  
“I will when you do,” Steve said, helping him drink. “You’ll be released tomorrow.”  
  
“Tomorrow as in later today? Or tomorrow as in another whole day in the hospital?” Danny asked.  
  
“I don’t know,” Steve said honestly. “The doctor said it depends on the level of infection still remaining in your system.”  
  
“’Kay,” Danny said with a sigh, letting his eyes drift closed.  
  
“I thought you’d fight me on it,” Steve admitted.  
  
“You’re here. Grace will come see me. What more do I need?” Danny asked softly.  
  
“Cake,” Steve suggested with a laugh.  
  
“Only because you want some more,” Danny scolded warmly.  
  
“Maybe,” Steve said, kissing the side of his head. “Happy birthday, babe.”  
  
“You too,” Danny said, falling asleep in the warmth of Steve’s presence.  
  
~o0o~  
  
The next year, neither of them were in the hospital when their birthdays arrived. But they told Chin and Kono they didn’t have the energy to go out to celebrate on the actual day. It had been a rough couple of weeks and they’d celebrate over the weekend. Chin and Kono looked stretched as thin as Steve and Danny, saying they totally understood. They would come to the beach house on Saturday, bringing food and the obligatory cake.  
  
“It feels wrong,” Danny said quietly when he and Steve were slumped on their couch. Danny’s feet were on the coffee table, Steve’s bare feet on the couch, the rest of him draped mostly over Danny.  
  
“I know,” Steve sighed. “But we’ll see them Saturday.”  
  
“Yeah,” Danny agreed. “You want me to order a pizza?”  
  
“Nah,” Steve said. “I’m not really hungry.”  
  
“Yeah, me neither,” Danny realized. “Move so I can get up.”  
  
“Where you going?” Steve protested, moving out of his way.  
  
“To get your present,” Danny said with as much of a smile as he could muster.  
  
“I thought we’d wait until Saturday,” Steve said.  
  
“I have one for Saturday too,” Danny assured him, reaching up to the top shelf of the closet. “This is one we need to open by ourselves.”  
  
“Ahhh…” Steve said. “It’s not a photo album then.”  
  
“Nope,” Danny said, sitting back in his place and handing Steve the gift. “That’s for Saturday. When Grace will be here to narrate it for you.”  
  
“And this one isn’t Grace-appropriate,” Steve guessed with a smile.  
  
“Precisely,” Danny said, waiting as Steve unwrapped the box. Inside was an assortment of flavored lubes, toys to add _interest_ in the bedroom, and something that claimed to be an edible g-string.  
  
“Is this for me to wear or you?” Steve asked with a laugh as he took the neon green package out of the box.  
  
“Whichever,” Danny said. “It’s your present. You get to decide.”  
  
“Yay me,” Steve said with a laugh. He reached around to his back pocket, pulling out a plain white envelope. “I didn’t have time to wrap these.”  
  
“What are they?” Danny asked, accepting the envelope. He peered inside, shaking his head. “No way. You didn’t…”  
  
“Yes way,” Steve said. “I got us tickets to the Pro-Bowl.”  
  
“Who’d you threaten for these?” Danny asked.  
  
“I did not threaten anyone,” Steve said, supposedly indignant at such a suggestion. “Governor Denning gave them to me…us.”  
  
“So these are really a gift from the Governor,” Danny laughed.  
  
“Sure,” Steve shrugged.   
  
“Did you get us tickets to New Jersey for Thanksgiving?” Danny asked, leaning back against Steve and admiring the Pro-Bowl tickets.  
  
“Of course I did. You, me and Grace for an entire week,” Steve said.  
  
“Perfect,” Danny agreed with a smile.   
  
“That’s what your folks said when they called last week, to remind me it needed to be the entire week. They also reminded me the week before that. And the week before that.”  
  
“The Williams are persistent if nothing else,” Danny said. “That’s how I finally got you to marry me.”  
  
“That isn’t the way I remember it,” Steve said. “I had to talk you into it.”  
  
“Whatever,” Danny said, waving it away. “What else did you get me?”  
  
“What else?” Steve said in total innocence. “I got you Pro-Bowl tickets and tickets for us for Thanksgiving. What makes you think I got you anything else?”  
  
“Because you are Steve, SuperSEAL, champion in one-upmanship. What else did you get me?” Danny repeated, waiting expectantly.  
  
Steve sighed as though the question constituted a great burden but finally shrugged. “All right,” he said, easing off the couch to go into the sunroom. He soon returned with a large, square box he handed to Danny with a smile.  
  
“You look suspiciously proud of yourself,” Danny said. “That makes me nervous.”  
  
Steve shrugged, sitting back by him. “Open it.”  
  
Danny gave him the side-eye before slowly unwrapping the box. “I don’t need ski boots in Hawaii,” Danny said in confusion, turning to study Steve closely. “What have you done?”  
  
“Booked a week in Switzerland?” Steve said, a note of uncertainty in his voice.  
  
“Switzerland?” Danny repeated, a smile slowly taking over his face. “We’re going skiing in Switzerland?”  
  
“You said you always wanted to,” Steve reminded him. “We have enough frequent flyer miles between us to go twice. And I have a buddy that owns a chalet near a ski resort. He’s given it to us for a week in February.”  
  
“This is…” Danny shook his head, staring down at the boots. “I can’t believe you did this.”  
  
“Of course I did,” Steve said, kissing his head. “You want to go Switzerland. We’re going to Switzerland.”  
  
“Oh babe,” Danny said. “I can’t even…”  
  
“Grace is thrilled out of her mind. I had to make her promise not to tell you. You might want to call and let her know you know.”  
  
“Grace is thrilled,” Danny repeated. “We’re taking Grace?”  
  
“Of course we are,” Steve said. “It’s during February recess. She’ll miss two days of school but Rachel cleared it with the school.”  
  
“Oh babe,” Danny repeated. “You win all the points. All. The. Birthday. Points.”  
  
“You always tell me birthday isn’t a competitive sport,” Steve said with a laugh.  
  
“Doesn’t matter. You win,” Danny said, putting the boots on the floor and turning his entire focus on proving to Steve how incredibly grateful he was. That was a win for them both in every way that mattered.  



End file.
